Collar



Cil

Patented Dec. 28, 1937 UNITED ASTATES COLLAR Harvey D. Roberson,Leominster, Mass., assigner to Wachusett Shirt Company, Leominster,Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application Gctober 21, 1935,Serial No. 45,897

12 Claims.

While the invention is applicable to detachee collars and other parts ofwearing apparel the invention is particularly applicable to soft co1-lars that are permanently attached to the shirt. f

One of the objects of the present invention is the provision of anarticle of apparel and particularly a collar having improved means forstiffening it that is immune to the usual laun dering processes andagents and after laundering can be brought into a smooth appearance bythe heat and pressure of ironing and will be stiff without the use ofstarch and other transient stilening means.

The garment or collar embodying the invention includes a lining fabricor stiffener carrying a cellulosic derivative or other thermoplasticmaterial which contributes to the stiffness of the article and whichunder the heat and pressure of ironing softens suciently to admit of itsbeing bonded to a fabric ply with which it is in pressure contact. Acollar has been proposed heretofore having an inner ply impregnated witha fusible stifening material. A common disadvantage of such a collar isthat the stiffening material is liable to be forced through the face plyunder the heat and pressing'operation and appear on the outer surface ofthe collar, and particularly at *he inturned edge portion thereof, andharm the appearance of the surface so that the collar, and the shirt towhich the collar may be attached, is unt for sale as first classmerchandise.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a garment andparticularly a collar construction including a stiffener ply having athermoplastic stiffening material, the collar and the stifening materialbeing so arranged and disposed that there is no part of the collar thathas any excess of stiffening material at the time it is soft under heatand pressure that can pass through an outer ply of fabric and be visibleat the surface thereof.

AA further object of the invention' is the provision of a collar having4a stiffener ply interposed between face plies, the stiffener ply havinga thin coating'only on one face only thereof, and the coated facethroughout being confronted with a non-coated fabric so that there -isonly sufcient coating material to bond the plies ,tcggtfnerv withoutpenetrating the face ply and also so that there is no superimposition ofcoatings that can result in such excess coating material that it canpass through a face ply.

A further object is the provision of a collar that can be laundered athome and will have the 5 appearance of a machine finished product.

One of the dimculties experienced in the home laundering of collars isin obtaining a neat' wrinkle-free fold in the top or outer part adjacentits junction with the neckband. Hence an l0 important object of theinvention is a collar construction, and particularly the arrangement ofthe fplural stiffener plies, wherein the line of fold is demarked sothat the collar folds naturally along the intended line.

For defining the fold line it is an object 0f the invention to providethe collar top with two stiifener plies, one being extended through theline of fold and secured with the face plies to the neckband and theother stiener ply being 20 terminated at the fold region so that thecollar has reduced stiffness between the upper edge of the `secondstiffener ply and the neckband and hence folds naturally in this region.Each of the stiffen-er plies preferably has a thin coating g5 only ofthermoplastic material on one face only thereof, the coated faces eachconfronting a separate face ply and the uncoated faces confrontingeachother.

, It is a further object of the invention to pro- 30 vide a collarwherein the neckband has a stiffener lining provided with a coating ofthermoplastic stiffener material that is bonded to a face ply, thestiflener ply, however, stopping short of the folded or inturned edge ofthe neck- 35 band or being of single thickness at said edge so that theneckband where it is attached to the top of the collar and alsopreferably where it is attached to the body of the shirt is thin.'

A further object is `generally to improve the 40 construction of wearingapparel and particularly collars.

Fig. 1 is a plan View of an attached collar embodying the presentinvention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view through u, the folded collar ofFig. 1 and illustrating the invention. I

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating a modified neckbandconstruction.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating 50 a detached collarconstruction.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section taken 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Flg. Gis an enlarged section taken along line 6 5 of, Fig. 2. a"

along line Fig. 7 is an enlarged section taken along line 1--1 of Flg.3.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the top illustrating the manner ofattaching the plies together prior to the turning of the top.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of a neckband face ply and its attached stiffenerply.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view illustrating the manner of securing theneckband plies to the collar top.

Fig. 11 is a sectional view illustrating the vmanner of securing theshirt body to the neckband. The invention in Figs. l, 2 and 3, isillustrated as applied to a soft collar of the attached type, the collarhaving the neckband portion I8 attached to the shirt body I2 and havinga top or downturned outer portion I4. The top I4 comprises front andback fabric face plies I6 and I8, respectively, which can be of anySuitable material. The top also comprises a front stif` -fener ply 20and a back stiifener ply 22 interposed between and confrontingrespectively the face plies IBand I8. The stiffener plies 20 and 22 arepreferably composed of a relatively light weight material such asorgandie. The outer stiffener lining or ply 20 has on its front face;only, a thin coating 24 of softenable thermoplastic stiffening material.The back stiifener lining or ply 22 has on its rear face only, a similarcoating 26. The coatings 24 and 26 impart suitable stiffness to thetop-and serve to attach the stiffener plies to the adjacent face plies.The stifi'ener ply, however, is not saturated with the coating material,the coating merely lying upon the surface without impregnating thelining. 'I'he amount of coating material is sufficiently little and thecharacter thereof when subjected to heat and pressure also is such thatthe material does i not pass sensibly into or through the face ply withwhich it is in contact but becomes bonded only to the inner facematerial of the face ply.

The material 'forming the coatings 24 and 28 can be of yany suitablematerial that is not deleteriously affected by the usual launderingprocesses and agents an'd retains its stiffness and ls capable ofsoftening sufliciently under the heat and pressure of the home ironingoperation to become smooth and give the collar a fresh stiff appearance.The fusible material can be a cellulosic derivative containing asuitable plasticizer which renders the material capable of becoming softunder the heat and pressure of the'ironing operation and regaining itsstiffness when cool. Amaterial well adapted for the purpose is celluloseacetate with which is incorporated a suitable plasticizer or agent whichenables the coating to become Soft under suitable heat and pressure.Other cellulosic derivatives can also be employed.

In assembling the top plies, it is good practice to superimpose the faceplies with their outer faces in contact and with the stiffener pliesagainst the face plies, with the coated faces of the stiifener pliesoutermost, as illustrated in Fig. 8. The plies are then connectedtogether by aline of stitching 30 which extends around the 4 through thebend or fold 38 of the collar. vThe' fronts the front face ply 42. Bothstiifener plies by to avoid the necessity for stitching the pliesnaturally and neatly by the home laundress at the fold line Without theaid of a folding machine. The amount of material in the bend or fold isreduced so that the collar is thin and can be foldedv readily at thefold line, without Wrinkling or buckling because of the thinness of thefolded edge and the absence of wrinkles or bulges. The collar isparticularly comfortable to wear.

The-neckband I0 of the collar, in the modification illustrated in Fig.2, consists of front and rear fabric plies 42 and 44, respectively,which are composed of any suitable fabric. Between the face plies 42`and 44 are interposed two stiffener plies 48 and 48, respectively, thefront ply 46 confronting the front face ply 42 and the back ply 48confronting the back face ply 44. Both stifener plies are composedpreferably of some light weight or thin material, as organdie, and eachhas a thin coating 50 and 5I of thermoplastic stiffening material on itsopposite faces which in the finishing of the collar are caused to adhereto the back face ply and to the front stiffener ply by heat andpressure, thereby combining all plies into one unitary structure.

The stiifener ply 48 has a thin thermoplastic coating 5II on one faceonly thereof, which face confronts the backface ply 44. The otherstiffener ply 48 has a similar coating 5I that conare narrower at allpoints than the face ply with which they'are associated and aresuperimposed on the face ply so that the entire marginal portion of theface ply extends beyond the margin of the stiffener ply, as illustratedin Fig. 9 there- 40 by providing the face ply with an edge portion thatcan be 'inturned over the stiffener ply all around the margin with aminimum of bulk at the inturned edge. Preferably the face and stlienerply is united in the aforesaid relation by heat suffcientiyto remainpositioned while the collar is being finished and until the finalpressing operation on the completed collar, theretogether.' Bothstiffener plies 4s and 4s tenni- "0 nate at the folded or inturned edgesof the face plies, both at 'the top and bottom of the neckband, or areof only single thickness thereat, so that the edge portions oftheneckband are thin;

The neckband and top preferably are united as illustrated in Fig. 10.The face plies of the neckband are placed against the face plies of thetop with the top edges of both in line and with the stiffener liningsoutermost. The plies are then secured together by a line of stitching 58which passes through all plies except the neck band stiffener plies 46and 48 and the short top stiffener ply 22 at or just above Athe topedges of the plies 48 and 48. The neckband plies are then reversed inposition or are folded along, the stitch line 56, as illustrated in Fig.11. The shirt body I2 is then placed upon the neckband face ply 44 andsecured thereto by a line of stitches 51 which pass through the face plyonly and beyond the bottom edge of the associated stif'lener ply 48. Thestitched ends of the shirt body and face ply are theninturned about thebottom edge of the stiifener ply 48 and ythey 7.3

arca-ica The collar is then pressed 'in a hot bed pressing machine wherethe heat and pressure soften the thermoplastic coatings and cause themto bond thoroughly to `the contacting uncoated plies. Since the collaris more flexible at the fold region 38 than elsewhere, by reason of theomission of the stiifener 22 from the-fold region, the collar shapesitself naturally into the fold and without the formation of wrinkles orbulges.

`In the modification illustrated in Fig. 3, one of the stiffener pliesof Fig. 2 is.omitted from the neckband and but a single neckbandstiffener ply 48a is empoyed. Said ply preferably is of thicker orheavier material than the' ply 48 of Fig. 2 and has a thin thennoplasticcoating 50a on one face only.' which coating confronts and in thefinished collar is adherent tothe back face ply 4ta and is free fromadhering to the front face ply 42a.

with Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 illustrates in cross-section a detached and has between themstiifener plies 6d and 66.

The stiifener plies are composed of some light weight material asorgandie and the stiffener ply 64 has a coating of thermoplastic fusiblematerial on its outer face which confronts the front face ply 60. Thestiffener ply 66 has a coating of fusible material on its back facewhich confronts the back face ply 62. ".The stiifener and face plieshave the same width so that their top and bottom edges are coextensiveand, in this modification, are inturned with the face plies.

In assembling the collar a face ply and associated stifener ply of theneckband are superimposed and have their edges inturned in a hot bedturning machine which causes the inturned edges of the p1ies,to adheresuiiiciently to stay in place. The face plies with their combinedstiffener plies arethen combined as inv Fig, 4 and a line of stitching10 is started at one end of the band and ran around the bottom edge ofthe band. When the stitching arrlvesat the other end of the band the topis inserted and the stitching continued to the place of beginning,thereby connecting the top and band. 'I'he facev and stiffener pliescan, however, be adherently united by a preliminary heating and pressingoperation as described in connection with Fig. 2.

The use of s tiifener plies coated on one side only, which side is incontact with the outer face plies of the collar, is of particularadvantage herein as the inturning of the top and bottom edges of theneckband can be readily done by a A folding machine, the blades of whichdo not come in contact with the thermoplastic coating and hence thecoatings as disposed in this construction do not hinder the foldingoperation by sticking to the blades.

I claim: l

1. A collar comprising a top having front and` back face plies and frontjand back stiening plies interposed between said face plles, saidstiffener plies each-having on one face only a 'Ihe constructionotherwise is the same as describedy in connection fusible coating ofstiiening material, said stiiening coatings confronting and beingadherent each to a separate one of said face plies, the uncoatedsurfaces of said stiifening -plies confronting each other.

2. A collar comprising a neckband and a top, there being a fold in thetop adjacentlits junction with the neck band, said top having front andrear face plies and interposed front and rear linings which aresubstantially coextensive in length with the length of said face pliesand each of whichhas a coating of fusible rmaterial on one face only andis attached by said coating to a separate face ply. one of said liningsbeing terminated short of the fold and the other of said linings 'beingextended through said fold and attached to said neckband, the top beingthereby of reduced thickness andreadily foldable at the fold line.

3. A collarcomprisingr a neckband anda top, there being a fold in thetop adjacent its junction with the neckband. said top having front andrear face plies and interposed front and rear linings the face plies andlinings being substantially coextensive in length. one of said liningsbeing terminated short of the fold and the other of said linings beingextended through said fold and attached to said neckband, said liningshaving fusible stiffening coatings on theirplv-,confronting faces onlywhich are fused respectively to the confronting face plies. the topbeing thereby of reduced thickness and readily foldable at the foldline.

4. A collar comprising a neckband and a top, there being a fold in thetop adjacent its junction with the neckband, said top having front andrear face plies and interposed front and rear linings theface plies andlinings ibeing substantially coextensive in length. one of said liningsbeingterminated short of the fold and the other of said linings beingextended through said fold and attached to said neckband. said liningshav-f ing fusible stiifening coatings thereon which are fusedrespectively to the confronting face plies. each lining having a coatingon one face only thereof. e

5. A collar comprising a neckband and a top,

said top comprising front and rear face plies which are attached to saidneckband, said top also containing stiiener plies between said faceplies. said stiifener p lies being coextensive with the length of thecollar, said top having a fold adjacent its junction with said neckband,one of said stiener plies being extended through said fold and attachedto said neckband and the other stiiener ply being-terminated below saidfold and thereby providing the fold with reduced stiffness as comparedwith the stiffness of the top. said stiifener plies having :coatings offusible material on only the faces thereof that confront the front andrear face plies and being fused each to a confronting face ply.

6. A collar` comprising a neckband and a top, Said top comprising frontand rear face plies which are attached to said neckband, said top alsocontaining stiilener plies between and substantially coextensive inlength with the length of said face plies, saidl top having a foldadjacent its junction with said neckband, one of said stiifener pliesbeing extended through said fold and attached to said neckband and theother stiffener ply being terminated below said fold and therebyproviding the fold with reduced stiffnessneckband having at 4 stiffeningmaterial on one face onlythereof, and said coatings being adherent eachto a separate one of said front and rear face plies.

7. A collar comprising as an integral construction a neckband and a topsecured together, said least one stiifener ply that is fused to theneckband and said top having plural stifening plies fused to said top, astiffener ply of said top being excluded from the junction of saidneckband, and a stiifener ply of said neckband being of single thicknessat the junction of said top and neokband.

8. A collar ,having a part provided vinth front and back face plies andinterposed front and back stiffener plies, the stiffener plies eachhaving a coating on one face only thereof of a fusiblv stiffenermaterial which is adherent to the confronting face of a face ply, theuncoated faces of said stiffener plies confronting each other;

9. A collar comprising a neckband and a top, said neckband comprisingfront and rear face plies and interposed front and rear stiffener plies,said stiffener plies each having a coating of a stiffener material onone face only thereof, which material is adherent to a face of aconfronting face ply, the uncoated faces of said stlffener pliesconfronting each other, said face and stifvfener plies having inturnedupper and lower edges, a line -of stitching uniting said inturned loweredges, sa'd top having an edge portion dis-- posed between said'inturned top edges and a line of stitching connecting said top and saidinturned top edges.

10. A collar comprising a top and a neckband,

said neckband comprising front and back plies having inturned upper andlower edges, a stiffener ply between said face plies having stiifenermaterial adherently united with a face plyfthe stiffener ply being ofsingle thickness at the inturned edges of said face plies, said tophaving front and back face plies and interposed stiiener plies that arecoextensive with the length of the collar and one of which is connectedwith said neckband and the other of which is terminated short of theconnection with said neckband, said top stiffener plies having stiffenermaterial adherently uniting said stiffener plies only with confrontingface plies.

11. A collar comprising a neckband anda top secured together, saidneckband having an inturned edge seam at the junction of said neckbandand top, said neckband and top having stiffener plies that arecoextensive with the length of the collar, a stiffener ply of said topbeing excluded from the junction of said top and neckband, and saidneckband having a stiffer stiffening ply than said top, which stifferply isy excluded from said inturned edge seam.

12. A fused collar having a top comprising front and rear face plies andat least one interposed stiffener ply, and a neck-band comprising frontand rear face plies and at least one interposed stiffener ply, eachstiffener ply having a coating of fusible stiifening material on oneface only which bonds it to the confronting face ply and throughout .theconfronting faces and said top stiffener ply beingV excluded from thefold line of said top.

HARVEY D. ROBERSON.

